Down the stretch of his career, Michael Strahan lost weight, decreasing the stress and strain on his joints, increasing his speed and endurance.
Jason Pierre-Paul — who does not believe he is coming down the stretch of his career — has done the same thing. He showed up for the Giants’ offseason conditioning program this week weighing 265 pounds. He says he played last season at 275 and arrived as a rookie in 2010 at 290.
“I feel much better now,” he said. “I’m quick. Faster and stronger.”
At 28, the only thing heavier about Pierre-Paul is his bank account. This offseason, the Giants first made him their franchise player to make sure he did not hit the open market in free agency. Then, the Giants came up with a four-year, $62 million contract that includes $40 million in guaranteed money. In his seven years with the Giants, Pierre-Paul developed into a superstar, suffered a horrific fireworks accident that left him with a permanently disfigured right hand and fashioned a remarkable comeback.
“I’ve been here eight years now, man. I’m a vet,” Pierre-Paul said. “I know the game and know how to play the game. Teach the young cats. It was the same way when I came in and I was looking at [Justin] Tuck. I have to teach the young cats, the rookies that are coming in and the other rookies from last year. Make sure they play, help the team get better and help the team win another Super Bowl.”
Pierre-Paul still sounds bummed about missing the final four regular-season games, plus the playoff loss in Green Bay.
“I was just upset with myself,” he said. “You can’t predict injuries. That’s one thing you can’t do. I felt that I would’ve helped tremendously out there, but I couldn’t be out there to help my team.”
The injury, he said, required surgery to repair two issues in his groin and two more in his abdomen. Before he got hurt during a loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh, Pierre-Paul put up 5.5 sacks in a two-game span.
“I felt that I was just getting warmed up,” he said.
Pierre-Paul said he is “walking and running” and “participating in ever activity that they have.” Asked if he will be full-go for training camp, he said “We’ll see.”
In 2016, JPP was part of a rejuvenation for the Giants on defense, made possible by the free-agent signings of Olivier Vernon, Janoris Jenkins and Damon Harrison, plus the drafting of Eli Apple. The expectations for the defense in 2017 are extremely high.
“I think if we put in the work, be consistent, do what the coaches tell us,” he said, “we have a very good chance of getting there again and actually getting to the Super Bowl.”